Beach 69 Closed in Puakō: Your October 2026 Access Guide
As of October 5, 2026, Waialea Bay is still closed. DLNR's Hāpuna Beach State Recreation Area page lists the Waialea Section as closed because of fallen trees, even though the agency says the rest of the island's state parks have reopened. On Saturday, October 10, the IRONMAN World Championship closes Queen Kaʻahumanu Highway from the Kawaihae Road junction south to Kaiminani between 7:00 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.
Puakō usually reaches the outside world in two directions: west to the bay and up to the highway. This month both are closed on calendars Puakō doesn't set, one kept by State Parks and one by a race organizer. What stays open regardless of either is the stretch of Puako Beach Drive that runs past the Puakō General Store.
The closure goes back further than most people remember. When Lala hit on August 15, Hawaiʻi County listed Puako Beach Drive among the island's closed roads as of 12:30 p.m. and reported gusts near 80 mph in South Kohala. The Hawaii Tribune-Herald's update that day put about 18,700 Hawaiian Electric customers without power across North and South Hilo, North and South Kohala, Hāmākua and Puna as of 11 a.m. The next day, the state said every state park property would stay closed until assessments found it safe.
Hurricane Nolo arrived next. The County closed all of its park facilities on September 24 and 25 and scheduled every county park to reopen on Sunday, September 27. DLNR's September 30 reopening release still names Lala as the reason Waialea stays shut, and lists Lapakahi State Historical Park as closed for the same reason. So Nolo did not close Waialea. Waialea never reopened from Lala, and the second storm added more work to a repair list that was already long.
DLNR has not set a reopening date for Waialea. Its forestry administrator explained why the date is hard to give:
"The compounding impacts of successive storms are affecting our ability to safely open certain areas in a timely manner, but we will continue to restore access as soon as possible." Marigold Zoll, DOFAW Administrator, September 30, 2026
The same release thanks the public for its "patience with the long list of repairs and restoration work in the months ahead." That phrasing points to a timeline measured in months. DLNR's Hāpuna park page is the best place to check for a change, since its notices have been updated as recently as October 5.
These are the shoreline and park spots closest to Puakō, with their status on the agency pages:
| Place | Status as of Oct. 5, 2026 | Set by |
|---|---|---|
| Waialea Section, "Beach 69" | Closed, fallen trees | DLNR State Parks |
| Hāpuna main day-use area | Reopened | DLNR State Parks |
| Hāpuna camping and cabins | Closed for repairs | DLNR State Parks |
| Hāpuna beach concession | Listed "temporarily closed" | DLNR State Parks |
| Lapakahi State Historical Park | Closed, fallen trees | DLNR State Parks |
| County park facilities, North and South Kohala | No closures listed | Hawaiʻi County Parks and Recreation |
The County's closure directory has no entries for North or South Kohala, which suggests Holoholokai Beach Park is operating after the September 27 reopening. The directory doesn't confirm individual sites, though, and it notes that its updates can lag. Neither agency page reports a status for the public shoreline-access lanes off Puako Beach Drive. The concession status needs a caveat too. DLNR's page connects that label to a mobile food concession bid posted in September 2025, so it may have nothing to do with the storms.
Race day affects Puakō more than the Waialea closure does. Puako Beach Drive meets Queen Kaʻahumanu Highway inside the closed section. IRONMAN's notice to motorists for October 10 gives these windows:
The notice says nothing specific about turning or crossing at Puako Beach Drive, Hāpuna, Mauna Lani Drive or Waikoloa Beach Drive. Anyone planning to leave Puakō that Saturday should call the road-closure hotline at 808-334-3400, which runs through October 12, for the answer at their intersection. The field is large. Kauaʻi Now reported on October 4 that 2,548 athletes from 85 countries had registered, including 110 professionals.
The ocean may change things too. On October 5, the National Weather Service forecast a small west swell arriving Thursday and continuing into the weekend, with possibly moderate surf on west-facing Hawaiʻi Island shores.
With the bay closed and the highway closed, one address in town depends on neither. The Puakō General Store at 69-1649 Puako Beach Drive posts daily hours of 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The dive operation there also has a new owner. Blue Wilderness has announced it is "passing the torch" to Sam Plumb, one of its longtime dive instructors, who now runs Sams Diving Shack out of the store.
Sams Diving Shack keeps the services Puakō already knew:
As of this writing, the booking calendar had open shore-dive slots on Tuesday, October 6 at 9 a.m. for a one-tank dive and Thursday, October 8 at 8 a.m. for a two-tank dive. Both fall before the forecast swell and the race. Sam's direct line is 949-742-2217. Kayak whale watching should become more relevant later in the season. For now, a Puakō resident can rent a board, fill a tank or simply buy cookies without driving on the highway.
Most of Puakō's usual dinner options are up the coast at Mauna Kea Resort, and most of them serve on Saturday. Manta at Mauna Kea Beach Hotel serves dinner from 5:30 to 9 p.m., with live jazz on Saturday among other nights, and is closed Sunday and Monday. Hau Tree switches to Hau Tree Cantina in the evening, serves until 8 p.m., and closes on Wednesday and Thursday, so it is open Saturday. Copper Bar is in the same hotel, though its posted hours differ between two resort pages, so check before going.
At The Westin Hapuna Beach Resort, Meridia serves dinner from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Monday and Thursday through Sunday. While Ikena Landing is being renovated, its breakfast has moved to Meridia. Naupaka Beach Grill serves dinner until 9 p.m. Piko Coffee + Bar is open for coffee and grab-and-go from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Every one of these restaurants requires a highway drive from Puakō. On October 10 the posted closure runs until 6:30 p.m., so a 7:30 table at Manta or Meridia fits around the race better than an early seating. Northbound lanes reopen progressively, so the exact time is not guaranteed.
Kawaihae, at the northern end of the closure, is the other option for an evening out. Seafood Bar & Grill at 61-3642 Kawaihae Road opens at noon on weekends, serves until 9 p.m., and has happy hour from 3 to 5 p.m. daily. Across from the harbor, Blue Dragon Tavern & Cosmic Musiquarium has shows on its October 2026 calendar, including October 15 and October 23. Both dates fall after race weekend, when the highway is fully open.
Until DLNR posts a new notice, Waialea's status depends on tree crews that are working through a statewide list of storm repairs. The Hāpuna park page will show the change when it comes, and the General Store's 9 a.m. opening on Puako Beach Drive is the one schedule in town that doesn't depend on it.
Access in Puakō depends on specific points: one road to the highway, one gate to the bay, and a handful of shoreline lanes. Months like this one show what those points mean for daily life. If you're thinking about a home along this coast and want to know how a property's daily rhythm depends on those access points, Deborah Thompson would be glad to walk the shoreline with you. Let's Connect.
Deborah derives great satisfaction from fulfilling clients' aspirations by connecting them with their ideal homes. She endeavors consistently to cater to the requirements of both buyers and sellers.
DEBORAH THOMPSON
65-1279 KAWAIHAE RD SUITE #104 KAMUELA HI 96743